Largest Lost of Life from the Police Force
by jamiejay4
Summary: Earlier today, during a raid of a known drug cartel, the Republic City Police Force had lost the largest number of officers in recent decades. Reports tell of a massive rock slide that levelled an entire floor of an upper-city building. Nothing has been confirmed as the Chief of Police has yet to be seen.
1. Returning Home

**Hello World! This is my first fic I've dared to let see light, so I hope you enjoy. Let me know what you think!**

Kya sat comfortably on the grey couch in Lin's apartment, legs propped up on the bare coffee table, waiting to be shoved off by the rule-abiding earth bender. Waiting seemed to be the key word as Lin was behind time. This wouldn't be a problem, if it weren't for Lin's impeccable punctuality, and endearing consideration that if she was staying late in the office, she would at least let Kya know (Lin won't admit it, but Kya has basically moved into her apartment unannounced. Let alone will she admit she's glad to come home to her every night.)

Kya began to get antsy, trying her best to still jittery hands. She was certain Lin was fine, but something felt terribly off. _It's only been half an hour. That's fine, probably traffic. At the station. Or on the road. Maybe something came up at work that wouldn't let Lin reach the phone for 2 minutes to call and say she's alive!_ Caving in to the anxiety, Kya grabbed the nearest distraction Lin's empty apartment could provide. A newspaper, of course. Lin had left it on the table this morning.

She never really understood why the chief liked reading the paper. It was all rumors and depressing news. Robbery here, politics there. The occasional celebrity news that they bought a dog or something (just a rumor. Bolin would never betray his Paco.) She couldn't fathom how that woman could handle so much sadness. She began to read an article about another referee being paid off for the semi final match, and much to her surprise the police department had arrested him, due to changes of law enforcement in professional sports. She smiled, knowing her girlfriend definitely had a hand in that.

Just then, the woman of her thoughts came through the door.

"Lin!" Kya smiled, beaming at the beautiful woman that just came home. But what should have been a warm welcome or an apologetic glance, came only bite.

"Leave" Lin barked, walking passed open arms and into the kitchen, retrieving what looked like a heavy drink, and facing hard against the wall above the counter. After all this time, she still had no clue where Lin kept all her alcohol.

"Well, that was rude." Kya barked back. She knew Lin to have many bad days, but today was different. On most days, Lin would simply greet her and retreat into her room. Kya knew better than to pry, and eventually the woman would return, either with a brief explanation as to her mood, or having simply moved on from the day's events. But today Lin was ruthless, and Kya did not, in any way, desire to be her punching bag.

"I'm sorry. Please, go away." The earth bender's sarcasm dripped as harshly as the liquor she downed, and much to Kya's dismay, she poured another. Lin hadn't drunk in years, only for the consecutive running to end abruptly as Lin downed the deep brown liquid. The site was heartbreaking, but Kya and Lin agreed on keeping the bottle. Lin was an adult, she can make her own decisions. That didn't make watching her any easier. This wasn't what she was hoping they would do with the whiskey.

"Lin, I am not here just so you can vent out all your frustrations on me. I'm here to help, but I can only do so much until you let me in." Gently, Kya reached out her hand to rest on Lin's shoulder, but Lin flinched. Lin flinched. She didn't brush of the touch or welcomed it, she flinched, and both woman noticed. This "sign of weakness" only irked Lin further.

"Let you in? Last time I checked you didn't live here, Kya. No one asked you to help me, and I certainly didn't ask you to be here." Her grip on the glass hardened, Lin was holding back, and Kya could see this.

"Lin. It's just me. You can talk to me-"

"I need you to leave, Kya." Lin practically growled. Kya didn't know what to do, Lin has never been like this. Quickly she retrieved her hand, not realizing she left it hovering above her shoulder. Her hands found themselves clenched hard into fists beside her, mirroring the actions of the woman who wouldn't face her right now. Kya knew Lin wasn't good with words, but this lack of explanation wasn't good enough to justify her attitude or return to alcoholism.

"Oh no you don't. You don't get to start acting like the world is against you. It's not, Lin." Kya's attempt to face Lin was met with a sharp turn and Lin moving further from her, down the counter. The movement was like another punch to her stomach, but Kya was glad that at least she was away from the bottle. "What happened?" Kya's voice was borderline pleading, but with every trace of resolute.

Kya watched as Lin pulled her hand to her eyes, pinching the nose of her bridge. Her every movement felt like dragging cement through air. But the small gesture was all she received in response. When she didn't get a reply, Kya tried again. "Why are you doing this?"

"Because I don't deserve this!" Kya watched as her lover froze. Lin's back that was towards her became impossibly more tense, painfully so. Her hand lowered and began to clench the counter. Her knuckle was white, clinging tightly around the glass holding her drink. That's when Kya actually saw the kind of state Lin was in.

She had been over enough to know Lin's routine. She would come home, removing her armor almost immediately and place it neatly into her room, while on the way she would always turn on the radio. The woman wasn't much for art or music, but Kya knew she needed something to keep her mind off work, regardless how mindless the distraction was. Lin would either then return and have dinner or remain in her room for the night, simply listening to whatever filled the air.

Lin had a ritual. It was simple but it was constant. Right now, there was none of that. The armor Lin had left on still had rubble and was damaged quite significantly, though nothing a skilled metal bender could fit. And her hair was far from the typically neat bun the chief of police prided on. _Had she just came back from a fight?_ Kya's heart raced as she tried to explain the situation to herself. _That could explain the alcohol, but it's been years since Lin has touched that stuff. And it_ _doesn't make sense, after a situation, Lin always returned to the department to fill in the paper work. What could have possibly – wait, deserve?_

"Deserve what?" Kya couldn't move. What would she do? Lin wasn't talking to her, and the questions flooding Kya's mind were deafening. The flinch earlier was a harsh blow to Kya's confidence, and the knowledge that even such a simple gesture as a hand on the shoulder couldn't bring comfort to Lin right now, stung deep. "Lin?"

"Please. Just, go." Lin's voice was barely above a whisper, sounding almost as if it burnt her to speak. Finally, Lin looked up. There were no walls, no defense mechanisms. It was just Lin reaching out for understanding in those beautiful green eyes. But those beautiful green eyes, eyes Kya wanted nothing more but to search, to get lost in, those eyes were painfully empty. Shallow. Whatever Lin was feeling was far past grief. It was unbearably tragic.

She couldn't keep fighting this woman. If Kya wasn't wanted, if this wasn't what Lin needed, then she wouldn't force herself to stay. "Fine. I'm leaving."

Kya waited for a response, hoping Lin would change her mind, ask her not to leave. But the chief didn't move. She just, looked away, as if the dark liquor could somehow save her from the situation. _It couldn't, Lin_. _It never could._ Defeated, Kya grabbed her keys and walked towards the door. She grabbed the handle slowly, but stopped, releasing the breath she was holding. _Lin wasn't going to ask._ She turned to look at her love one last time, one last chance for her to change her mind. Lin didn't look back. "Take care of yourself, chief." And with that, the water bender was gone.


	2. Trial by Stone

The sound of the door closed shut was crushing. _Please, come back._ But the words didn't leave her lips. Instead, they were met with the cold touch of a glass as she downed her second drink.

The alcohol slowly started to reach the stone cold woman, as she moved to her third. Lin berated herself profusely, knowing perfectly well that she should not have been left alone. But she couldn't stand being around anyone she cared about, not after what happened today. She didn't deserve it. Not if- no, she wasn't allowed to think about that right now. Right now she needed to train. It was her fault this happened. She wasn't prepared. She wasn't ready. She failed her officers, and _she_ was the one who needed to take responsibility for it.

She staggered into her backyard that doubled as her training grounds, fully aware of the intoxication taking affect of her coordination. Entering the the battlegrounds determined to receive some redemption, she prepared. Getting into stance, she picked up a boulder of stone, using her cable to grab the rock and whipped it around a tree. This caused the rock to come hurdling back at the bender at a ridiculous speed. In a split second the earth bender shifted her weight, allowing the full force of her kick to shatter the stone.

 _Sloppy._ Lin thought, raising two more boulders, reenacting her previous actions so that the rocks came rushing towards her. Again, being utterly destroyed when reaching the master bender.

"Not good enough!" Lin yelled in frustration. She bended off her armour, leaving her clad in a bloodied white tank top and loose pants, but leaving on her cables. She continued her training, every time, the rocks growing larger, throwing more at herself at once. Without the protection of her upper armor, and the poor use of her equipment, the cable began to dig into her skin, and debris from the shattered stone left cuts scattered on top of her arms. But Lin was stubborn, Lin was tough, and whether it was the alcohol or her lack of reason, she wasn't going to allow a bit of pain to stop her.

The thoughts ran rampant through her mind. Accusation, blame, guilt, shame. She wasn't ready to forgive herself until the painful memory was burnt into her brain, reminding her she wasn't good enough, reminding her she needed to be better, reminding her that she failed and _so many_ others had to pay for her mistakes. No, she wasn't going to leave until _she_ paid for her mistakes.

Her frustrations were at the edge, and Lin was pushing her already exhausted body far past the point of reason - she wasn't going to stop. The immense effort exerted to lift this massive rock of ground brought a cry of anguish to the woman's lips. She wrapped the cable messily around the thing, and began to swing the rock in the motion she had done many times before. But the exhaustion has caught up, and the alcohol was still affecting her skill. The force of the swing caused the bender to misstep, and the cable ripped through the skin of her forearm as the bender fell to her knees. But the rock was still coming her way. She couldn't stop it. _Good._ This was what she deserved. This –

"Lin!"


	3. Paper Events

Kya held back her tears as she left the house. She wouldn't let Lin have the satisfaction of knowing her words hurt her. She felt bad for leaving but Kya knew she would only make the situation worse. Lin would come around, like she always does. _Right_? She wanted so badly to be there for her, to give Lin love and comfort, the support that woman deserved, but what good would that do if it wasn't welcomed? If only she knew what was running through that woman's head? Then maybe she could help.

As if answering her thoughts, the nearby paper stand, the one which Lin went to every morning, had just gotten its delivery. Odd, considering the news always came early in the morning and not in the late afternoon. Answering the call of the paper, Kya walked towards the man managing the stand.

"Why the early delivery?" She asks, reaching for a paper and scanning the front page.

"Special delivery, pretty lady. Some serious news came from the department of police." The man replied, not paying much attention to Kya as he started sorting through the paper.

"What sort of news?" Kya asked, worry lacing her voice.

"See for yourself." The man pointed at a smaller headline that came second to the celebrity gossip that flooded the page. _Largest lose of life from the police force in 30 years. Chief of Police yet to release a statement._

"Oh no" Kya breathed as she dropped the paper and ran quickly back towards the house. She knew she shouldn't have left. She should have never left Lin alone. She could hear the sounds of smashing rock as she approached the apartment. That could only be Lin. In her panic, she fumbled with the key, cursing when it dropped out of her hand. The sound of rock cracking was too much, and in her haste, Kya tackled the door down, certainly breaking it and ran to the back yard. To her horror, Lin was down on her knees as a massive rock came hurdling towards her.

"Lin!" She screamed. There wasn't time to think. Grabbing as much water as was around her, she bended the form of something, anything as she dashed forward towards the woman and towards the hurdling rock. And then, darkness.

When Kya opened her eyes, she found herself wrapped up tightly by a bleeding and sobbing Lin. Behind her was a wall of Ice, nearly completely shattered by the boulder that had stopped mere inches from the two of them. Lin's body shook violently around her, as the younger woman released her cries.

"Why did you come back? You shouldn't have come back. You could have – I could have hurt you. Kya you have been –" But before she could finish her sentence, Kya spoke.

"Shh, it's alright Lin. I'm here now. You protected me, like you always do." Kya struggled to release her arm from Lin's iron grip. When she finally did, she began to stroke her lover's hair, trying everything she could to sooth the crying woman. Seeing the cables still attached to Lin's body, she softly tapped the metal, asking. "May I?"

When Lin nodded, Kya removed the cable strapped on Lin's back, releasing the equipment. Suddenly the boulder fell to the ground, crushing the rest of the ice. Lin must have bended the rock to stop. Deep within her mind, Kya chuckled, _of course my bending did nothing to protect us, Lin did all the work._ Kya held a small smile. _Good, Lin still has her senses._ Slowly, Kya lowered the two to the ground, continuing to comfort the woman in her arms.

Lin buried her head into the crook of Kya's neck, relishing in the unmarred skin there. She thanked the spirits this woman was still here, alive and well. She didn't have the scars Lin and her officers shared. She didn't see the things Lin saw, did do the things Lin had to do. She was safe. She was here. And by spirits Lin didn't deserve her, but she would never let herself hurt this woman. Kya's voice brought Lin out of her thoughts, and back into the gravity of her situation.

"Can you tell me what happened today?" Kya asked, gently, praying to the spirits that this was what Lin needed right now.

Taking a stuttering, yet deep breath, Lin searched her mind for the right words. No, not the 'right' words, there was never a right way to share grief. There were only words, and Lin was never one to use them. Breathing again, satisfied by the lack of stuttering, Lin began to speak.

"I failed them, Kya. I didn't know. There weren't enough of us. I –" Lin held Kya tighter, trying to fight the memories from rerunning in her brain. Of the girl who died. "Her name was Mel. She was so young, Kya. She was just an officer. I shouldn't have let her come." Lin couldn't handle the guilt. It tore through her unlike anything she has ever felt before. "That idiot, why didn't she just stay in his position? Why would she bother protecting me?" Lin screwed together her eyes, willing the memories to leave her, but that image of a girl standing in front of her, her damn side smile as she looked back towards her superior, just before she -

 _No! She thought. She ran to Mel as she collapsed, catching her as both of them hit the floor. Hard. The metal has pierced through the armor, and had lodged itself deep within the body. Lin wouldn't be able to remove it, not without the possibility of Mel bleeding out._ But I can't just leave it -

 _"You okay, ch-chief?" The girl stuttered, interrupting Lin's thoughts. Lin couldn't help but notice Mel struggle as she tried her best not to cough up the blood that rushed into her lungs._ You don't need to fake it, _Lin thought, but couldn't bring herself to vocalize what could sound like criticism. That's not what they needed right now. Right now they needed cover._

 _"You're going to be okay, kid. Don't talk. You'll make it worse." Lin fought back the tears, focusing on bending a wall thick enough between her and their enemies. They couldn't afford more incoming attacks. This was bad. They couldn't win this. "TURN BACK" She yelled, signaling for the rest of her officers to retreat. Lin's mind was racing as she watched her colleges fend off attacks, deflecting and repelling as much of the opposing forces as she could._ Damnit. This should have been an easy raid. How did they see us coming?! Were they tipped off? What - _But her attention snapped back to the kid, and just as quickly she had Mel in her arms as Mel spoke._

 _"I-I'm sorry. I couldn't..." The girl tried but the blood was rushing. The wound was too deep._

 _"It's okay. We're going to get you home now. You did good, Kid. You did good." Lin smiled, trying her best to reassure and comfort her officer, attempting to convince herself of the same._

 _"Th-thanks, chief." The kid smiled, proud of her work. Without warning, a massive boulder came hurdling towards the two. Ignoring the protests her body was screaming, Lin picked up Mel and launched her cable deep into the ceiling next to the exit, reeling in the two officers. Mel groaned with the sudden movement, no doubt due to the sudden pain it bought, but it needed to be done._ Sorry, kid, _Lin thought_ _as she swung both herself and Mel to safety on the roof of the building._

 _But the moment she stepped foot outside, the building shook -_

"They were still in there, Kya. Almost half of my squad was caught up in that rock slide. I should have been down there. Mel didn't even..."

 _Lin had grappled herself back onto the roof of the building, feeling as if the air was trying to swallow her. No matter how many times or where she had done it, her seismic sense couldn't feel a living heart beat in that room. Everyone there was gone. As she returned to the remainder of her squad, her heart sunk even further than what should be possible. The officers surrounding Mel spoke volumes with their silence. Mel wasn't moving. Mel wasn't breathing. No. No, the air wasn't swallowing her, the air was drowning her. She couldn't be here anymore. She couldn't –_

Lin couldn't keep talking. The exhaustion had finally won, and her body gave out. Her lose of blood was too much to fight.

Kya observed her girlfriend, finally seeing the full damage she had done to herself. There was a gash across her right arm that was bleeding more heavily than usual, knowing it was the affects of the alcohol thinning her blood. What she didn't notice before were the bruises that decorated Lin's shoulders, most likely following down her back and through her chest. Lin was a mess, and there was no doubt in her mind that Lin had refused to see a healer before the rest of her officers.

"It's going to be okay, Lin. But right now, I need you to get up and get into the bath. You're bleeding out, and I need to heal your wounds." Lin simply nodding, having no energy to argue. The earth bender attempted to raise on her own, only to stumble back onto the water bender who caught her. Leaning against Kya, both women made their way slowly to the bath in Lin's house.

Kya helped Lin into the bath, then proceeded to slowly take off the bloodied tank top and dirt cover trousers. Her heart broke as she saw the full damage of the fight. The bruises on her shoulder trailed down Lin's back completely, and purple and yellow were spotted across her chest and stomach. There were small cuts littering her body and the large gash on her arm began to purple. But nothing hurt more than to see Lin's face as nothing more of a ghost image. She was broken. Kya slowly lowered Lin into the bath, letting Lin rest her shoulders against the end of the tub. She then turned on the water.

Lin flinched when the cold water made contact with her skin, but did nothing else. The last thing she saw before drifting off to sleep was the image of Kya's apologetic face, and a soft apology for the cold water. Lin smiled before she fell asleep.

"Thank you." Was all Lin said, before she was out. The sleep wasn't sweet, but it was sleep nonetheless and the woman needed it. Kya sighed, finally allowing the tears to fall from her eyes, berating herself for forgetting that the water would be cold. Kya warmed up the water as quickly as it fell from the pipe, making sure the water was at a comfortable temperature. She sighed, trying to calm down her tears. Lin didn't deserve this. No one deserved this. This spirit forsaken job has taken far too much, even for the chief of police. _The world needed to be a better place years ago,_ Kya pleaded, _but spirits, please, just this once give Lin the time to heal._

Knowing she needed to be strong for her love, she took a deep breath and began to heal the overworked woman. Slowly the bruises began to fade, and slowly the blood began to clear. The gash on Lin's arm needed stitches but the healing could at least stop the bleeding and clean the wound. It was a small consolation, but Lin's immediate retreat home allowed the healing to come sooner. These wounds won't scar. As for the memories…

As she continued her treatment, she watched Lin's expression for any discomfort. Relief washed over her as Lin's once strained face soon became soft. Her sleep must have been easing as the water healed her. And barely audible, the woman in the water spoke.

"Love you" was all she said, and Kya's breathe hitched. Thoughts of how quick Kya was to tell the earth bender that she loved her worried the water bender. But Kya knew Lin was reserved. She knew Lin loved her, she just had yet to use those words with her. For just a small moment, Kya hoped that Lin was dreaming about her, but brushed off the thought. Now was not the time to get greedy. She was just thankful enough that the dreams Lin were having were peaceful. The rest of the night, Kya remained by Lin's side, healing her, afraid that if she stopped, the bad dreams would return.


	4. This is Home

When the sun finally broke the horizon, Lin woke up to an exhausted Kya, still bending the water she was in.

"Good morning, beautiful." Kya smile was small, but genuine, as she continued her treatment.

"Kya. I'm okay. You can stop" Lin sat up with more ease, thankful for Kya's treatment, and gently grabbed both of the water bender's hands, stopping their movements.

"No, you need this. You…" But Kya was far too exhausted to continue her battle. She yawned, and leaned her head against Lin's shoulder. Lin smirked, only Kya would argue against reason in a state like this. Lin gently pushed Kya off of her, and re-placed her onto the tub, Kya quick to get comfortable and rest. Her sleep was tense, and Kya mumbled from her sleep. _A bad dream,_ Lin thought. After grabbing a towel to dry herself off, Lin quickly threw on a loose white shirt and returned to her girlfriend.

"Lets get you to bed." Lin whispered, sliding one hand behind Kya's back, and the other beneath Kya's legs. Gently, she lifted the waterbender.

"You shouldn't be lifting me. You're hurt." Kya said, but against her own words, she could only snuggle closer to the woman holding her.

"Only for a little while, honey." Lin rarely used words of endearment, and the word earned her a sweet smile from the woman in her arms. The walk was difficult, but manageable as Lin made her way into the bedroom. Slowly, Lin lowered Kya onto her bed, easing her hands from beneath her. "Thank you" Lin whispered, sweeping Kya's hair from her face, and placing a gentle kiss on her forehead. But before she could turn and get ready for work, a weak hand grabbed Lin's, causing her to turn towards the resting woman.

"Stay" Kya asked, breaking Lin's heart at the fragility of the question. It was certainly morning, and the station would be opening soon. They were expecting her there, Lin left without a debriefing, and she wasn't sure if Saikhan could handle the situation. _She_ couldn't handle the situation. What if –

"Please" Kya nearly whimpered, tightening her grip on her hand just a bit. Her eyebrows were furrowed slightly, and she curled into herself just so. Sighing softly, Lin got into bed beside Kya, wrapping her arms around the woman and positioning Kya against her chest. Kya fell flawlessly into the position, molding her body against her love. Listening to the strong heartbeat beneath her cheek, Kya relaxed, allowing the tension in her body to release. Soon the water bender was peacefully fast asleep.

Lin drew simple patterns on the older woman's back, afraid that if she left the bad dreams would return. The events of the day before began to run through Lin's mind, ruining any calmness she may have had before. Thoughts of guilt came lashing back, reminding her that she failed. That her officers were gone, and they have yet to retrieve the bodies, have yet to count how many they lost…

Sensing the turmoil from her love from beneath her, Kya snuggled closer to Lin. She lifted her head slightly, enough to kiss the shoulder of her lover, then rested again.

"Love you" was all she said before her breathing evened and she was once again asleep. Lin's heart beat skipped at the words. She hesitated to commit to Kya, fearing that in the line of Lin's work, she could be hurt. There were the possibilities that her enemies could discover Kya's existence and target her. But the higher possibility was that there could be a day that Lin doesn't come home. She didn't want to imagine the hurt Kya would experience if anything ever happened to herself. _Idiot,_ Lin thought. How could she put Kya through this? _She could have gotten hurt trying to protect you. She didn't deserve this._ Something needed to change, Lin knew this.

Resigning to her exhaustion, and not willing to fight the demons in her head, Lin drew closer to her love, focusing on the older woman's breathing. Focusing on the presence that had been and will be her constant. After everything, Kya was still here. That should be enough for Lin. Enough for her to let go of the police force. Enough for her to actually want to grow old, if it meant she'll grow old with her.

"I love you too" Lin said, counting every breath Kya took as she slowly drifted off to sleep herself. They were both breathing, they were both alive. They may not be okay, but they will be. It wasn't too late.

 **Thank you for reading! Please do let me know what you thought. R &R will always be appreciated. You're a wonderful human being, and I hope you have a rad day. **


	5. The Station

**Hello everyone! Golly miss molly I wasn't expecting such a positive response! Thank you so much for the reviews and favs and follows, everything. Initially I hadn't planned on continuing the story, but all of the reviews have been so kind and you're right, there's still a ton to explore in the story. So please do expect more to come and stick around to see what happens! My aim is to post a chapter every week.**

 **Thank you Tes1 for being my first reviewer EVER.**

 **Back to the story. It's pretty Lin-centric, so there's no Kya in this chapter, but she'll be around. Time to write about the other characters in Legend of Korra. Thanks! And enjoy the read~**

 _They need you._

Lin took determined steps towards the station, having left her car there the day before. But every step was calculated, every move was measured. The only confidence she portrayed were masks upon masks developed from years of hardening. Even that was wavering. Chief Lin Beifong's nerves screamed for her to turn back. After serving in the police force for over 25 years, 15 in which she had been chief, never had Lin had to deal with such a large lost. She didn't know what to do.

 _They need you here._ Lin chanted as she saw the station around the corner. They needed to act. It had been two days since the incident and she didn't know the status of the case. She never intended to stay away for so long, but Kya needed her. And spirits know, Lin couldn't have handled it then. She needed to run away, even if it was just for a day. But anything could have happened in a day.

She was only mere feet away from the steps of the station when flashes began to blind the chief. Cameras surrounded her as floods of questions bombarded her ears. _What happened that day? How many are gone? What will you do next? Where were you during the incident._ Lin froze. _What were you doing during the incident? How could you have prevented such a lost?_ On most days, Lin knew better than to allow the questions to get to her. Simply shoving her way through the paparazzi and announcing (quite loudly) that all answers will be provided during the conference made things easier. But the words wouldn't stop. They were everywhere. Accusation, blame, guilt. They knew. Everyone knew. This was on Lin, and Lin had no where to run. She couldn't –

"No questions will be answered right now." a hand was on her arm, guiding her into the building. "The chief of police will be making a statement within the next couple days. Until then, for the respect of our officers, please refrain from approaching the station without an emergency." _Mako._ His hand was gentle as he gripped her, pushing her through the doors and into the station. The door shut loudly behind them.

"Thanks kid." Never had Lin appreciated Mako's eager desire to follow in her footsteps more than now. She didn't want to see him close up like her, but his abilities to separate his personal from professional was increasingly better. The kid didn't respond. Lin turned to look at him, only to see an exhausted and hardened expression. No, that wasn't something she wanted him to learn. Not yet. He was still young, he had time. He could –

"Where were you?" Mako's head hung low from his neck, his shoulders visibly tense and heavy, and his usually pristine detective uniform was covered in dirt and disheveled. The eyes that stared at her were exhausted, ready to break but refusing to release. _Had he stayed here the whole time?_ "Chief?"

And that's when Lin looked into the room. A room that should have been bustling with paperwork and chatter, people running from one office to the next, laughing, yelling, arguing. The only noise that could be heard were the phones ringing. Ringing because no one was there to answer them. Lin got into a stance and urged the walls with the outlets to break, attempting to unplug the phones. But the phones continue to ring. And Lin's composure almost broke completely.

"Chief! Your –" without allowing Mako to finish, Lin began to stalk throughout the building, ripping each phone cord out from their power source. One by one, the room began to quite, growing impossibly larger as it did so. Finally, the ringing stopped, and the silence was heart breaking.

"Where are the rest of them?" Lin was afraid to ask. She pushed away her thoughts, she wouldn't allow herself to believe that everyone was gone.

"You just left, chief. No one knew what to do. We waited for you to come back, but you didn't." Mako wasn't mad. No, it sounded like he was pleading.

"Where are they?" She couldn't handle the fault right now. Right now, she needed her men back. Mako hesitated, unsure how to continue.

"The ones with families went home. The others went looking for you, or at least for something to do. A few crooks have been turned in, but with no one to watch them, we had no choice but to let them off with a warning."

"Has anyone contacted their families yet?" At this, Mako perked, surprised and undeniably regrettable.

"Chief. I don't know how to say this –"

"Then spit it out, detective." She didn't want to be harsh but she didn't have it in her to be patient for incoherence.

"We don't know who've we lost yet." There. There it is. This wasn't something Lin even dared to wonder. Not yet.

"When you left the scene, others followed suit. Saikhan tried to control the situation but panic started to raise after you –"

"Go home, Mako." _This again. I know I left. I didn't think about whether they could have handled the situation without me._

"What?" At this, Mako didn't even try to hide his disbelief.

"I said go home. You need to rest." Lin's voice soften, trying to reach out to her detective.

"I'm fine, Chief. I can handle –" Mako was certain. It didn't even look like he noticed his appearance. Maybe he didn't care.

"No Mako. Go home. I will not allow my officers to work under such conditions." _Mako needs this. He hasn't slept in days. He needs –_

"Is that why you left? Because you couldn't handle it." _What? No, I-_

"I was here, Lin." _Don't call me Lin._

"I was the one who managed the station while you were gone." _No one asked you to._

"When everyone was gone," _Stop talking._

"I was here." _Just leave._

"You can't ask me to just leave! After everything. Lin, I –"

"That's enough!" Her hand slammed into an unexpected table, causing the building to shake. "I am not asking, Mako. It is a direct order. And if you call me Lin one more time, so help me I will suspend you from the force until this case is closed." And this, Mako was stunned. Lin lifted her clenched hand slowly from the now dented desk, but did not release the fist she was holding. The air was heavy with the unbelievable but very true threat. Neither of them moved, tense with their resolve.

"You don't have to do this alone, Chief. Let me help you." Mako was pleading again, and this hit Lin hard. Why he cared so much, she'll never know. Lin released her clenched hand and placed it on his shoulder. Maybe he couldn't separate personal from professional as well as she hoped, but he wouldn't end up like her. He'd be better.

"Thank you Mako." He smiled, reassured. "But you need to go home. This isn't about me. I will call back the officers and we as a team will begin to finish this case, but this is the largest case I've ever handled, and I need everyone to be at their best. I need you to take care of yourself, so you can take care of others. Understand?" Mako hesitated, but he looked at Lin over. Perhaps he noticed her now undented armor or clean hair. Maybe he realized that she had done just that. Chief Beifong, after all these years of literally fighting off healers and medics, ensuring her officers received help first, even if it meant scars or not even receiving medical attention, has for once, taken care of herself. Whatever it was, his resolve fell, and he nodded.

Lin removed his hand and be began towards the door when he stopped. Without turning around, but turning his head just slightly so that she could hear, he said

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean it when I said-"

"It doesn't matter, kid. You were right. I couldn't handle it. But I'm here now. I'll make this right." Lin wasn't going to run away from this. People are relying on her now. There will be time for guilt and punishment later. Right now, she needed to take care of the kid who nodded curtly and walked out the door. She needed to call the families and give them the closure they've been deprived of since the incident. And she needed to destroy the people who took so much from her force.

As Mako closed the door, a newspaper fell from the table Lin had slammed. With everything going on, she hadn't had the time to check what the press had been saying. She wouldn't tell Kya, but she read the news not to learned anything new, but to make sure it was accurate. Media had a way of either calming the crowd or causing mass panic, and with an event like this, she couldn't tell which way they went.

Reaching down to pick up the paper, her pulse quickened as she saw the headlines.

 _Oh no._


	6. Soup

**BOOM! Another chapter. I felt bad for the lack of Kya so here's a short chapter. Enjoy!**

 _The weather is nice today._ There was a soft breeze making its way through the window of the apartment. The sun had barely raised above it's 6:30am horizon, but the warmth it emitted was intoxicating against Kya's skin. _Warmth._ More like a lack thereof from a certain woman. Kya scooted deeper into the sun, allowing the sheets from the bed to fall away and expose more skin. She was alone again, and although it's not surprising, it certainly wasn't a discovery she wanted to wake to every morning.

The kitchen shared a similar lack of presence, an empty space that was impossible to fill without two people. There were no dishes in the sink, which meant either two things. Lin either learned how to clean after herself without a mass intervention, or the more likely option, she didn't eat this morning. At least not at home.

Sighing, Kya placed a half filled kettle on the stove to boil. Some tea and an apple will be enough for her this morning. As for Lin, she needed something to hearty to eat. Kya opened the fridge and took out a variety of lentils and veggies. Since 'not-moving-in,' Kya had made a point to keep Lin's fridge stocked with easy and simple ingredients, and being a vegetarian who loves to eat, often her fridge was fill with vegetables. The whistle of the kettle brought her attention to the stove. Moving the kettle off, she replaced it with a larger pot filled with water. After allowing the water to heat up a bit, she placed a series of items and spices into the pot and stirred, allowing her now prepared tea to cool.

The water was simmering with the veggies, allowing the flavor to infuse, and her tea was still cooling down, resting between her hands as she leaned against the counter and waited. It was quite this morning. No birds chirping. The neighbors must not have been awake yet as there were no yelling or humming. Even Kya herself couldn't bring a tune to her lips. She waited. The water was still simmering. Her tea was still hot. The room was still empty.

Quickly placing the tea onto the counter, Kya lowered the heat of the stove just a bit and nearly ran out the door. She had time to go grab a newspaper. Or a walk. _Anything_. Anything to leave that empty room. Relishing on the now engulfing heat radiating from the sun, Kya allowed herself a leisurely pace as she walked toward the paper stand she had been two days prior. At least the paper could provide a distraction, something to do. Curtly nodding to the same man, she paid him his due for the news. But she didn't look at the headlines. She didn't ask the man what was new. Instead she simple placed the paper tightly to her side, far from view or accidental glimpses. She was afraid. _Why?_

Now walking slower to her home, she began to feel the weight of the paper in her hands. She felt the thick ink stain her fingers, the unknown words screaming a story that wanted to be told. She didn't want to know what was happening. She didn't want to know the kind of danger Lin had put herself into again.

The kitchen was still empty when she returned, but was now filled with the smell of the warm savory kind. _The soup._ Putting the paper off to the side of the counter, Kya stirred the simple meal and turned off the heat. She pulled out some containers and proceeded to fill two with the soup.

The soup was done, the tea is cold, and now the paper is there. _Waiting for me._ She took a sip of her cold tea and grabbed the paper, reading the first headline. The empty room filled again once more with the sound of a tea cup shattering upon contact with the floor.

 _Lin._ Kya breathed. In the largest text Kya has ever seen on paper, read bolding:

 ** _What Exactly Happened to the Police Force?_**

Kya continued to reading:

 _Failure from the chief of police has resulted in the lost of many great men and an exponential increase of crime. Having only been two days since the incident, drug lords have run rampage through the streets, rejoicing in their victory. More stores have been raided in the past 24 hours than it has in recent years. As for the police, incompetence to even confirm the death of those lost in the incident comes solely from the Chief of Police, Lin Beifong, as she still has yet to heard from. Some believe her to have been killed in the attack, while others believed she ran away when she knew she failed, leaving us to ask just who will take the responsibility of her failure, and when can we expect these raising problems to be contained._

Ignoring the broken ceramic on the ground, Kya grabbed the two meals and made her way to out the door. She could only hope that she would get to Lin before the paper got their first.


	7. Rock, Paper, News

**CHAPTER 7 - Rock, Paper, News PREVIEW**

Despair was too strong of a word to describe the current police station. The officers who were working at desks looked ritualistic. Their faces were trained, studied to deal with the incoming situations. Those answering the numerous calls answered with a practiced hello and responded succinctly. Those working on paper work didn't look up from their pages, instead hanging their heads low as they scribbled reports. And those who were working the field were prepping their equipment, strapping ebony steel onto themselves, patting each piece to check that it is secure, and maybe a little for lucky.

Yet the officers rushing in and out the door spared no effort to even acknowledge Kya. Spared no thought to take notice of the constant ringing, or the shuffles of pages, or the yells of enraged criminals that came fighting by.

This wasn't the sort of routine that was practiced. This sort of routine is adopted when people are trying to cope.

Kya has managed her fair share of psychological patients. She wasn't specialized in therapy, but instead, helped with the physical effects stress or trauma affecting the body. Muscle soreness, strain, lack of sleep, and very rarely self harm. Kya has seen this before. Strained voices through raspy throats, heads hung a little too low into pages of reports, complete avoidance of eye contact. But Kya has never seen this reflected in an entire room.

This wasn't despair. Despair would suggest a lost of hope, a lack of action. There was action, and though it certainly wasn't hope, everyone here was moving forward and that was something. _Everyone?_ Looking closer, you could count the numerous empty chairs scattered throughout the office. You could feel the unwanted barren presence of missing people.

Yet, everyone here treated the empty space like an entity. No one moved the chairs, the items on top of the desks remained untouched. Not even a wondering glance made its way towards the spaces. Maybe they were afraid to see a dark presence looking back. Maybe they were afraid to see that no one was going to looking back, not who they wanted to see. Maybe it was the photos of families that remained untouched on desks collecting dust. Sometimes, it was easier not to ask.

Kya could feel her body's intense discomfort, and willed her breathe to ease itself. First she unclenched her hands, sparing the soup of her death grip. Then she rolled her shoulders back, opening her chest to allow air easier access to her lungs. _Steps, walking forward._ She needed to move, Lin's office was right ahead. But the momentum of ease stopped dead when she saw the door of Lin's office. Well, what was left of her office door.

The elegant structure of the door frame was intact, minus the rugged hinged than hung precariously from it's usual spot. The door itself thought, was nearly torn completely off the frame. Warped in a way like wallpaper is from walls, almost drooping to the floor, begging to be let down. It bowed apologetically into the police station, as if to ask for forgiveness. Kya wondered if it was asking on Lin's behave.

The door was ripped multiple times, by what looked like pieces of metal. Wait _. Ebony steel. Lin's armour._

And suddenly, Kya found herself in front of the door, unsure of when her legs decided to move. Not daring to look inside, unsure of how to knock, Kya closed her eyes and breathed slowly.

"Lin?" Kya hated the vulnerability resounding in her voice, resenting her hesitation to call out. _What was she afraid of?_

"Kya?" Came a stern voice from within the room, undoubtedly belonging to Lin. The door screeched across the floor, crying in disagreement to be moved. Behind Kya, she could feel the entire station stop, and as if being thrown the weight of a building, she felt the presence of the entire room staring at her. Staring past her and into the room before her. Looking not for her, but looking for the same woman she was looking for. And then, as if time itself hadn't stopped, the moment past and the staring ended. Yet the weight remained as Kya walking to the room, and as the door screeched back into place.

With dire resistance, the door screamed as it uncurled itself, trying to resemble a door once more. Failing to resemble a door. Instead it now stood distorted, in a form of false confidence.

A hideous mask to hide behind.

 **HELLO - I am so sorry. School has been crazy. Please know that I have not stopped thinking about you or this story. Time and life has not permitted I continue. I'm taking a lighter semester so hopefully I'll have more time! Here's a preview for the chapter I was writing before the hiatus. Unfortunately, I wrote this fic 6-ish months ago so some of my ideas for this piece are lost, and my writing will be different. No less, the story will continue! Please bare with me and the hiatuses. And thank you for all those who never lost hope in me or this piece! I won't let you down. Here's to Lin and Kya, and writers and readers! Have a fantastic 2017!**


	8. Rock, Paper, News and Soup

**CHAPTER 7**

Despair was too strong of a word to describe the current police station. The officers who were working at desks looked ritualistic. Their faces were trained, studied to deal with the incoming situations. Those answering the numerous calls answered with a practiced hello and responded succinctly. Those working on paper work didn't look up from their pages, instead hanging their heads low as they scribbled reports. And those who were working the field were prepping their equipment, strapping ebony steel onto themselves, patting each piece to check that it is secure, and maybe a little for lucky.

Yet the officers rushing in and out the door spared no effort to even acknowledge Kya. Spared no thought to take notice of the constant ringing, or the shuffles of pages, or the yells of enraged criminals that came fighting by.

This wasn't the sort of routine that was practiced. This sort of routine is adopted when people are trying to cope.

Kya has managed her fair share of psychological patients. She wasn't specialized in therapy, but instead, helped with the physical effects stress or trauma affected the body. Muscle soreness, strain, lack of sleep, and very rarely self harm. Kya has seen this before. Strained voices through raspy throats, heads hung a little too low into pages of reports, complete avoidance of eye contact. But Kya has never seen this reflected in an entire room.

This wasn't despair. Despair would suggest a lost of hope, a lack of action. There was action, and though it certainly wasn't hope, everyone here was moving forward and that was something. _Everyone?_ Looking closer, you could count the numerous empty chairs scattered throughout the office. You could feel the unwanted barren presence of missing people.

Yet, everyone here treated the empty space like an entity. No one moved the chairs, the items on top of the desks remained untouched. Not even a wondering glance made its way towards the spaces. Maybe they were afraid to see a dark presence looking back. Maybe they were afraid to see that no one was going to look back, not who they wanted to see. Maybe it was the photos of families that remained untouched on desks collecting dust. Sometimes, it was easier not to ask.

Kya could feel her body's intense discomfort, and willed her breathe to ease itself. First she unclenched her hands, sparing the soup of her death grip. Then she rolled her shoulders back, opening her chest to allow air easier access to her lungs. _Steps, walking forward._ She needed to move, Lin's office was right ahead. But the momentum of ease stopped dead when she saw the door of Lin's office. Well, what was left of her office door.

The elegant structure of the door frame was intact, minus the rugged hinged than hung precariously from it's usual spot. The door itself though, was nearly torn completely off the frame. Warped in a way like wallpaper is from walls, almost drooping to the floor, begging to be let down. It bowed apologetically into the police station, as if to ask for forgiveness. Kya wondered if it was asking on Lin's behave.

The door was ripped multiple times, by what looked like pieces of metal. Wait _. Ebony steel. Lin's armour._

And suddenly, Kya found herself in front of the door, unsure of when her legs decided to move. Not daring to look inside, unsure of how to knock, Kya closed her eyes and breathed slowly.

"Lin?" Kya hated the vulnerability resounding in her voice, resenting her hesitation to call out. _What was she afraid of?_

"Kya?" Came a stern voice from within the room, undoubtedly belonging to Lin. The door screeched across the floor, crying in disagreement to be moved. Behind Kya, the entire station stopped, and as if being thrown the weight of a building, she felt the entire room staring at her. Staring _past_ her and into the room before her. Looking for the same woman she was looking for. And then, as if time itself hadn't stopped, the moment past and the staring ended. Yet the weight remained as Kya walking to the room, and as the door screeched back into place, as Lin stared blanking at her.

With dire resistance, the door screamed as it uncurled itself, trying to resemble a door once more. Failing to resemble a door. Instead it now stood distorted, in a form of false confidence.

A hideous mask to hide behind.

Spine lengthened with years of training, stood tall the chief of police behind her desk. Yet neither spoke. What could be said?

Lin's office was never really a spectacle to admire. Kya herself found it hard to be there, even when the door separating her from the rest of the world was intact. The room was bare, minimal. But minimal in the sense when you could feel the impression of the person existing within the space. The burden she came with. Only the necessities were there. The windows had stale wooden blinds, which often were closed to ensure privacy. A fine layer of dust suggested it's been like that for a while. The table laying far centre of the room was nearly cleared of objects, holding the stack of papers Lin was currently working on, a radio and a single pen.

Defiantly proud beside her desk stood impeccably tall with a maintained shine, a metal sculpture from Huan Beifong. The thing always made her smile, which she knew Huan would disagree with. The metal creature raised out from the ground, twisting and curving, ending sharp and precisely with jagged ridges. _It's a comment on hierarchy, power and authority._ Out of the two of them, Kya was certainly more of the art appreciator, but Huan was a bit out of reach for her. Maybe she was getting too old for contemporary work.

At the centre of the sculpture, as if protected by the hard exterior, rests a beautifully smooth, almost untouched piece of metal, different from the rest. Lin had shine it recently she could tell. Kya could see herself in the reflection. Her face was undeniably worried, and her hands once again choked the soup. She didn't want to see Lin like this, but she wanted to see Lin.

"What are you doing here?" the tone was dry, not used for hours it seems. Lin had been in this room for a while. And the way the office stood still for the question confirmed that the space hadn't hear this voice in some time. Kya could tell Lin didn't want to sound like this, but Lin wanted to speak. Maybe she wanted to speak to her.

"I brought you soup." Kya's firm stride cut across the room, placing her right in front of the desk, right in front of her love. Once again unclenching the soup onto the desk, the container letting out a wheeze of relief as it breathed, sure to avoid the few items occupying the space. She opened the container and released the aroma of sweet and savory veggies, and gently bended the soup inside to give it a quick stir. And then she realized. "Damn, I didn't bring spoons." Not the way she wanted to be a helping hand.

Kya's hands now clenched in fists, a sense of helplessness once again creeping into her subconscious. She just wanted to help. She just needed to –

Before the voices carried her away, warm hands consumed hers, gently bringing her gaze up and into deep pale green.

"This is perfect, thank you." Lin's voice was soft. It wasn't fighting for authority as it did before. The station didn't seem to notice the sound. And perhaps Lin was too tired to try, but regardless, the voice that spoke was soaked in a simple velvet ease. Lin hands squeezed Kya's, asking them to be released. Kya abided gratefully, and one was left as Lin held one of Kya's hand, and reached out for the soup with the other, drinking it from the container. She munched in between intakes, noticeably savoring each veggie. This was enough.

Much before the end of the meal, Lin passed the soup back to Kya, and without permission the water bender's stomach growled in thanks. A pause in between as the flush of red painted Kya's face, and a smile graced Lin's. Kya took the soup silently, and began to consume the liquid herself. Neither laughed but the mood was lighter. This was more then enough.

The soup was past in between the two, as Lin's one hand gently tapped and stroked Kya's, noticeably savoring each touch. But as the soup disappeared, it's space welcomed back the weight of the question hanging in the air. The headline of the newspaper echoed. The ebony shone with black determination against the torn door, screaming to be explained. The empty chairs were deafening. Kya wanted to see Lin, but she needed speak.

"What happened?"

 **WOOOOT I AM BACK! It's going to take some time and effort, but bare with me, the story will continue. Life is fucking crazy people. If for even a moment I can make it just a bit easier to make it through the day, then I am glad to keep doing this. Let's be honest, I do this as a little escape myself. Be kind to yourself always, and do what you got to do for you. Take care readers, till next time~**


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